I did it! Drinking lemon water every morning

For my latest «I did it!» week, I drank a large glass of lemon water every morning. That’s it. All I did was squeeze half a lemon into a glass of water and hey presto. Sure, I’m aware I didn’t set myself much of a challenge for this «I did it!» week. Instead, I made a little bit of effort and saw noticeable positive results. My plan? To make about half a minute of effort and create a perceptible impact from day one.

Inspired by a friend who’s sworn by her morning glass of lemon water for years, I was keen to see the effects for myself. You see, although I knew lemons contained numerous healthy substances, I couldn’t imagine that drinking lemon water would make me feel noticeably different.

Day 1: a lemony-fresh start

On day one, I’m ever so slightly reluctant when taking my first sip. I’m worried the lemon might be too acidic for my stomach first thing in the morning. But that’s the only hurdle I’ve got to overcome. My concerns turn out to be unfounded – my stomach has no problem whatsoever with the half lemon in the large glass of water. Instead, I notice something rather unexpected. I really do feel more alert and refreshed after the first few sips. Well, what do you know! I really didn’t expect it to take effect so quickly. Having knocked back the lemon water in no time, I definitely feel more alert at my desk than after my usual morning cup of coffee. Here’s hoping it continues.

Day 2: better than any energy drink

Day two gets off to a similarly positive start. Having practically downed my glass of lemon water in one go, I instantly feel more awake. I wonder for a second why on earth energy drinks were invented when half a lemon is as powerful as this. But hey, it’s only day two and I’m going purely on how I feel. Maybe the excitement of trying something new is clouding my judgement too. Even so, the impact is very noticeable. As banal as it might sound, the lemon is more refreshing than I would’ve expected. With my glass empty too quickly, I go and make myself another one right away.

Day 3: vitamins, minerals and citric acid

When I go into the kitchen in the mornings now, I routinely bypass the coffee pot and head straight for the fruit bowl. I press a whole lemon in one go so that I can easily grab myself a second glass.

Now that I’ve well and truly felt the effect of the lemon water, I decide to take a closer look at what lemons can do. It’s well established that they’re packed with vitamin C, which definitely can’t hurt during these winter months. The list of benefits, however, goes on and on. According to the German Nutrition Society (page in German), my lemon water provides me with:

• Flavonoids, which act as antioxidants and can reduce inflammation in the body.
• Potassium, which helps maintain fluid and electrolyte balance in the body and supports heart health.
• Various B vitamins, including vitamin B6, B9 (folic acid) and B1 (thiamine), which play an important role in metabolism.
• Calcium and magnesium, which are important for bone health and muscle contraction.
• Citric acid, which can help prevent kidney stones. You can read more about that last point here:

Lemon water’s also said to stimulate digestion and reduce cravings for sugary foods.

Day 4: more lemon water = more water

As well as the nutrients provided by the lemon, my experiment has another benefit: it prompts me to drink more water throughout the day. My morning glass of lemon water actually makes me start drinking water earlier in the day. During my «I did it!» attempt to drink at least two and a half litres of water every day, I noticed that unless I actively pay attention to my water consumption, I usually only start drinking it around lunchtime. If I start in the morning, however, I drink more fluids throughout the day. That’s the case with lemon water too. After my first glass of water with lemon before breakfast, I drink water continuously throughout the day. All in all, I end up unintentionally consuming the same amount of water as in my previous «I did it!» week.

Day 5, 6, 7 ... and beyond

By the time day five rolls around, it’s clear I won’t just be doing this for one week. Even after my experiment is over, my morning glass of lemon water will be here to stay. I’ve already incorporated it into my morning routine and look forward to getting my daily freshness boost.

What’s more, drinking lemon water has had another unintended consequence. It’s helped me fulfil another goal I’d set myself a while back: not drinking coffee right after I get up in the morning. I love coffee and certainly don’t plan to give it up. However, I do want to give my body the chance to start the day without caffeine, and slightly reduce my overall coffee intake. And without even trying, that’s exactly what I’ve done this week. My glass of lemon water has essentially filled my coffee time slot, removing my coffee craving altogether. Although I don’t usually drink one until about two hours later, it doesn’t feel like I’m missing it.

Verdict: lemon water every morning from now on

One week on, I’ve come to an overwhelmingly positive conclusion. My morning glass of lemon water takes next to no time to prepare, gives me a really noticeable, refreshing boost and provides me with a whole host of nutrients. Not only that, but it automatically encourages me to drink more water throughout the day. When I do drink coffee, I drink less of it and only do so later in the day. I didn’t run into any pitfalls of drinking lemon water, so I’ll definitely stick to doing it each morning.

In my «I did it!» series, I try out various healthy habits. Daily power naps, a smartphone detox and a month of Pilates are just some of the things I’ve experimented with so far.